Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spend Christmas at their mansion in Montecito with Archie and Lilibet after last joining royal family for festive celebrations in 2018

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are celebrating Christmas with their two children at their mansion in Montecito, California, it is understood. 

Harry, Meghan and their children Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2, will spend the day at their family home, surrounded by Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland and their friends, sources have claimed.

The couple will be ‘cooking, playing games and swapping gifts’, an insider told US Weekly, adding that ‘they have a tough time trying not to spoil the kids too much.’

The Sussexes last joined the Royal Family for festive celebrations in 2018 at the estate in Sandringham, where the late Queen Elizabeth would host Christmas each year. King Charles and Queen Camilla have continued this tradition and today hosted their extended family for the holiday.

Last month, it was reported that Harry and Meghan would ‘not decline’ an offer to join His Majesty for the festive season. However, it appears an invitation was never extended as the pair did not accompany the other royals today.

Royal insiders have previously suggested that the King is more likely to invite Harry and Meghan to visit him in Scotland over the New Year – when the Prince and Princess of Wales would be at Anmer Hall, their Norfolk country home – than for Christmas. But it remains unclear if Charles has done so.

As the Sussexes are likely just beginning to start their celebrations in Los Angeles, the royal Christmas has been in full swing in Sandringham, Norfolk.

Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and cousin Mia Tindall joined William and Kate to greet well-wishers outside the morning church service at St Mary Magdalene Church.

The young royals looked confident as they mingled with the public outside the ceremony with George and Charlotte seen affably chatting with members of the public. 

Louis, 5, was seen being escorted around the estate by Prince William who was also seen helping young Mia Tindall – the daughter of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall.  

The private Norfolk estate will once again host the traditional royal festivities, with most of the family present.

The King and Queen, along with the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, waved to well-wishers while attending a Christmas Eve service at the church on Sunday.

Charles was seen waving at the crowds who had gathered outside the Norfolk church to wish him and his family well this Christmas, walking alongside Camilla.

Kate smiled broadly as she walked to the church wearing an elegant blue coat and matching hat, holding her daughter Charlotte’s hand. 

Her younger brother Prince Louis joined the rest of his family, and held his second-cousin’s Mia Tindall’s hand as they prepared to attend the service.

He grinned cheekily at the crowds and shared a joke with Mia, nine, who wore a long purple coat.

Their appearance side-by-side, with the rest of her family following behind, suggests a burgeoning friendship between the pair.

Zara and Mike Tindall held the hands of their other daughter Lena, while their youngest child Lucas, two, stayed at home. 

The mother-of-three wore a long green coat, complete with a bespoke gold headband by Juliette Botterill.

On his other side, Prince William also held his son’s hand while Prince George dressed in a navy blue suit, walked alongside his sister. 

The Princess of Wales briefly placed a comforting arm around Prince Louis’ shoulders before entering the church. 

They walked behind the King and Queen, who were greeted by about a thousand local residents, many of whom had waited hours on Christmas morning to catch a glimpse of the family.

For the second year in succession the disgraced Duke of York walked from Sandringham to church with the family.

Andrew’s alleged links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will come under further scrutiny in the new year with the release of hundreds of files from a defamation case, after a ruling by a US judge.

His ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York appeared in public at Sandringham for the first time in years, walking beside her ex-husband and smiling broadly at the press.

Andrew’s daughters were with their husbands, Princess Beatrice with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Prince Eugenie with Jack Brooksbank.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh joined the rest of the royals on their way to the church. The Duchess of Edinburgh wore a bespoke version of the Claire Mischevani Kristen coat.

After the service, the royal family spoke to members of the public who had gathered outside the church.

But noticeably absent today, were the Sussexes – who have not been publicly spotted celebrating this year. It is unclear if they have been engaging in Christmas preparations and festivities in private.

Last week, Harry and Meghan released their family Christmas card for the year, wishing everyone a ‘happy holiday season’.

The Duke and Duchess used a photograph of them applauding, thanking their fans for ‘all the support in 2023’ in the professional online greeting issued by their non-profit organisation, the Archewell Foundation. 

The couple are seen beaming at the closing ceremony of the Invicitus Games that took place in September in Dusseldorf, Germany. Their children did not feature in the card. 

Releasing a holiday card has become a tradition for the California-based royals. Last year, they chose a black and white photograph of them attending the Robert F Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award gala in New York City.

The 2022 card said: ‘Wishing you a joyful holiday season. From our family to yours, and on behalf of our teams at The Archewell Foundation, Archewell Audio, and Archewell Productions, we wish you health, peace, and a very happy new year.’

In 2021, however, a more family-oriented card was released showing the couple with their two young children. 

The laughing family-of-four were seen wearing matching denim with Meghan, wearing a polo neck, holding up baby Lilibet into the air.

This year’s digital card also linked to the couple’s annual Archwell Foundational impact report, which was released earlier this week alongside a slick video documenting some of the pair’s volunteer work.

The one-minute clip focused on people and causes their foundation has helped throughout 2023. The video showed them hugging veterans, packing bags for school girls in Nigeria and taking selfies with dozens of supporters.